Celebrating the 60 year anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Sixty years ago today, after a century of persistent activism in the face of terrorism and violence, justice scored a victory with the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice collaborated with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in marking the anniversary of the landmark piece of legislation with the exhibit Onward Freedom.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 dismantled systemic racial segregation codified by Jim Crow laws of the 19th and 20th centuries, opening public places including restaurants, theaters, hotels and swimming pools to people of all races. It also banned employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The law strengthened earlier Civil Rights legislation and catalyzed future legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that helped protect the fundamental right to vote for African Americans and for all American citizens.
Onward Freedom, showcases community reflections on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the state of freedom today. Among the voices featured are current law students who work with the Jones Center, a Freedom Center teen docent and artistic director of the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival tt stern-enzi. The statements reflect gratitude for the legislation’s legacy and also the need to protect those hard-won rights as we continue the progress toward equity started in 1964.
The Civil Rights Act is a reminder that ordinary people have the power to revolutionize and transform their country for the better. It should also be a reminder that we have a moral obligation to fight for change every day.
Marques Jones, a student at the University of Cincinnati College of Law and program assistant with the Jones Center
Onward Freedom will be on display through the month of July 2024 July 31, 2024